T helper cell subsets and related cytokines in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization before and after seminal plasma exposure / 대한생식의학회지

OBJECTIVE: In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a well-known method for the treatment of infertility. The present study aimed to compare the differences between infertile women with successful and unsuccessful IVF outcomes regarding the expression of T helper (Th) cell transcription factors and a group of related cytokines before and after exposure to their husbands' seminal plasma. METHODS: This study was performed on 19 couples with unexplained infertility undergoing IVF treatment. Among the studied group, nine and 10 couples had successful and unsuccessful IVF outcomes, respectively. This study was carried out using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Before seminal plasma exposure, the expression levels of T-bet (p < 0.007), interferon-γ (p=0.013), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (p=0.017) were higher in the infertile women with IVF failure than in those with successful IVF outcomes, while those of GATA3 (p < 0.001), Foxp3 (p=0.001), and interleukin (IL)-35 (p < 0.003) were lower. After seminal exposure, the expression of T-bet (p=0.02), Rorc (p < 0.001), TNF-α (p=0.001), Foxp3 (p=0.02), and interferon-γ (p=0.001) increased in the unsuccessful IVF group, while the expression of Foxp3 (p=0.02), Rorc (p < 0.001), IL-23 (p=0.04), IL-17 (p=0.02), IL-6 (p < 0.001), transforming growth factor-β (p=0.01), and IL-35 (p < 0.001) increased in the successful IVF group. CONCLUSION: In summary, IVF failure was associated with imbalanced Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg responses. Moreover, our results show that seminal plasma might have a positive effect on IVF outcomes via changes in peripheral blood T cell subsets.

Interleukin-10 promoter polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in Iranian women

IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine which is involved in tumorigenesis. Over production of IL-10 and elevated number of IL-10 generating mononuclear cells in breast tumor tissue has already been shown. To determine the association of IL-10 promoter polymorphisms with increased risk of breast cancer and its association with breast cancer prognostic factors. Peripheral blood samples from 275 female breast cancer patients and 320 cancer free controls were used to detect three single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL-10 promoter region [-1082, -819, -592] by PCR method. The frequency of genotypes and alleles of three mentioned regions of IL-10 promoter and their haplotypes [GCC, ATA, and ACC] showed no statistically significant difference between patients and controls. In the case of prognostic factors, progesterone receptor [PR] status exhibited significant relation with -1082 genotypes [P=0.03] and haplotypes [P=0.02]. -1082 AA genotype was associated with negative PR expression whereas AG and GG genotypes of this site were positively associated with PR expression. Similarly GCC haplotype correlated with positive PR expression and ATA and ACC with negative PR expression. The data of this study showed that IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms may not be considered as one of the risk factors for breast cancer in Iranian patients